Local officials say an explosion at a residential compound in Afghanistan's southern Helmand Province has killed four women and three children.

Daud Ahamdi, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the incident took place in the Nawi district on February 27.

Ahmadi said it appeared the explosion was caused by a bomb.

Police said they were investigating how the bomb came to explode in a residential compound.

Separately, the provincial governor's office said six suspected insurgents were killed and three injured by their own explosives when they were attempting to plant them in a car in the province's Nawzad district on February 26.